Austria Allows Cannabis For Medical Purposes

by Allen St. Pierre, NORML Executive DirectorJuly 13, 2008

It is becoming increasingly more difficult for America’s Office Of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) to continue to claim that cannabis is not a valuable and acceptable medicine. Late Wednesday night Austria’s parliament placed the country in line with a number of other countries (i.e., Canada) and 12 American states that allow seriously-ill, dying or sense-threatened medical patients who possess a physician’s recommendation to legally possess and use cannabis medicinally.

VIENNA (AFP) – Austria’s parliament has adopted a new bill allowing the cultivation of cannabis for medical and scientific purposes, under the Health Ministry’s control.The bill, approved by parliament during a late-night session Wednesday, will give the health and food safety agency AGES the exclusive right in Austria to grow the plant, which is otherwise categorised as a drug.

Michael Bach, president of the Austrian pain studies association OeSG, welcomed the new legislation, saying: “Any initiative that makes it possible to develop and provide new drugs for pain therapy is welcome.”

“Substances drawn from cannabis have been used for medical purposes more and more in the last few years,” he added.
Possession of or dealing in cannabis incurs a 6-month prison sentence in Austria.

11 Responses to “Austria Allows Cannabis For Medical Purposes”

“More and more in the past few years”, and regularly for thousands of years before Prohibition 2.0. How quickly we forget. Just imagine how the pharm companies will suffer when they no longer have a monopoly on remedies.

Finnaly and yet another country that has come to there senses and relized that Cannabis is good for the body mind and soul.I just wish that America Would come to there senses and stop this non-sense and legalize it for responsable Adults and ill-Patience.When will enough be enough?When will The Goverment Get over what ever it is that they need to get over?When will There TRULY be FREEDOM of Choice.When Will I As An Responsable Adult of 27 be able to Smoke Cannabis WITHOUT Prosacution? Only time will tell Maybe with Our New Presiadent MAYBE Just MAYBE!?!

Just a few years ago if you asked me when do I think cannabis will be legal for responsible adults to use I would have probably said 20-30 years, but all of a sudden things are starting to change rapidly, as the evidence of its medical properties continue mounting and more and more countries around the world are changing their stance on medical cannabis, I now believe it will be re legalized in the next 5-10 years. Keep up the good work norml.

I think that there is a total lack of enthusiasm, with marijuana support. One major reason, FEAR. All of my 26 years on this earth has been filled with fear this and fear that. To me this is the governments only tool to control and regulate, not only marijuana, but citizens. If we could teach that fear only leads to lies and ignorance, maybe the world could change. Too many people rely on that fear to push them in the direction they think their lives should go. Thus, racism, hate, informants, biased laws, and so many more rotten eggs are created, that its always an up hill battle. If you want fear to stop, it won’t! But you can limit it by changing your politicians. How about limiting terms for congress?! New ideas and new faces. Stop voting for the same guy every year because he/she is a republican/democrat. If you want change make change by voting for change. Not because of party affiliation, but because of life, love, and liberation.

With so many problems in the world, why is the sacred herb ganja illegal?

It induces relaxation, helps cure the sick, alleviates pain in sufferers, cures glaucoma, and has been used by humanity for thousands of years.
It is time for this 1920’s laws and DEA which have removed our freedom to grow and enjoy this miraculous plant to change.

And for our US government to give up on it’s insane “war on drugs”. Drugs exist. Get over it. What are we gonna do now? Lock up people in prisons at great expense to peoples humanity, in private for profit prisons. Filled due to insane laws.
America which is a mere 5% of the world’s population has 25% of all the world’s incarcerated people or people imprisoned.
Why? Insane Drug Laws!

This plant can save the planet.

In addition to medicinal qualiteis the plant can be used for textiles, paint, food, clothing, even ethanol could be produced.

The amazing thing is how quickly it can grow from a seed into an eight foot tall plant, three months.